You Are My Favorite (2023)

Annoyingly Cute

I love time travel stories. I love stories where characters try to fix issues in their past (like the film The Butterfly Effect). So far, I like this.

This is only the second drama I've seen with Krist. He's still pulling weird, but funny, faces! His character (Kawi) is a bit of a loser who can't seem to get anything right. I feel for him every time he hesitates as it feels so relatable. I feel for him every time he wants to be close to the girl he likes - Pear (Aye) - but doesn't know how to do it. It's relatable because it's hard to put yourself out there and hope you won't feel crushed. He feels utterly crushed.

I find much of this interesting because hindsight is an incredible thing. We assume that if we went back to a particular time or place, we could fix it and it would all be OK. In reality, how could it be? We would only be accounting for our effort and not of other people. There's a domino effect in everything: a slight nudge in a different direction must make everything that follows slightly different...surely?

What I like: Krist's acting. Gawin's character (Pisaeng's cool hotness). Aye's lovely character (Pear)
What I don't like: The whining of Krist's character - act your age and take a chance (but it is relatable!)

I was surprised by the transformation of Krist's character from whining and annoying university student to wise and mature young man. It was a good transformation and beautifully acted by Krist - I believed every version of the character.

I admit that the last episode brought a few tears to my eyes. It was sad, thoughtful and joyful.

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Missed potential

Bless Gawin for being an incredible actor who tried really hard to have chemistry with Krist. Despite the commendable attempt from Gawin and a really good script, I found Krist's acting quite lackluster which ruined the series a little bit for me.

Here's the thing, for a series to be good, the viewers have to actually like and connect with the character. This premise is not new, this formula is the lovechild of "About Time" and "When We First Met". I absolutely adored Pisaeng's character in this - he was sensitive, in touch with his feelings, and has a chronic case of puppy eyes which makes you really feel for him. However, Kawi is a hugely different story due to the execution. Kawi is very flawed, which shouldn't be a problem if it was portrayed by a more skillful actor who could help balance out the negatives with some humanity. I usually love flawed characters, it gives their personality some dimensions. This is not the case with Kawi. The script wasn't the problem in this case - the problem actually lies in the delivery. The script gave Kawi so much chance of redemption: the internalized homophobia, low self esteem, and eventual self acceptance. The delivery was the main issue. Internalized homophobia & low self esteem appears as selfishness and disingenuity. The eventual self acceptance didn't actually feel like self acceptance - it just appeared to be "oh, I know what outcome is the best for me now, so I'll go with that". This could've been much better with a slight tonal change in the delivery. The relationship ended up feeling imbalanced, with Pisaeng's character giving in to everything Kawi wants.

I couldn't fault anything else, really. The theme was interesting, side characters were very well developed, and each scene was made with purpose. I just wished they casted a different actor to play alongside Gawin.

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« Be My Favorite » est l’histoire de Kawi, un homme adulte qui considère avoir raté sa vie. Lorsqu’un inconnu à l’aura mystérieuse répare pour lui la boule de cristal musicale qu’il avait acheté pour offrir en cadeau à la femme qu’il aimait du temps où il était un étudiant universitaire, Kawi se retrouve projeté à cette époque, dans son corps de 18 ans. Il a ainsi la chance de modifier son avenir et de gagner le cœur de cette femme qu’il aime (d’un amour très superficiel, vas sans dire.).
Le scripte de base a tout pour plaire. J’adore l’idée d’un BL surnaturel et qui sort de l’ordinaire. Les voyages dans le temps, c’est toujours captivant. Néanmoins, si les premiers épisodes nous tiennent en haleine, le tout devient rapidement boiteux. Pas mauvais, certes, mais son originalité semble s’évaporer au fil des épisodes, faisant finalement de Be My Favorite une série universitaire banale qui regorge des clichés habituels du genre.

Kawi m’a d’abord plus. J’avais aimé Krist Perawat en tant que protagoniste du célèbre BL SOTUS, donc j’étais impatiente de le découvrir dans ce nouveau projet. Je ne suis pas déçu. Avec son visage mignon et son jeu d’acteur, Krist est fait pour le rôle du pétillant Kawi. Ce personnage brille au cours des premiers épisodes, créant des moments à la fois hilarants et embarrassants. Il n’a pas la langue dans sa poche et comme il croit être dans un rêve, il agit comme un idiot pour modifier l’avenir. J’aurais aimé qu’il reste ainsi. Malheureusement, plus le temps avance et plus Kawi devient agaçant. Il prend d’horribles décisions et il agit comme un connard avec le gentil Pisaeng. C’est donc difficile de s’y attacher sérieusement. De plus, les fans savent que Krist n’aime pas jouer dans des BL… et soyons francs, cela parait dans ses scènes de baiser.

De son côté, Pisaeng est le « Husbano » par excellence. Beau gosse, gentil, romantique, attentionné… C’est à se demander s’il a des défauts. Pour être honnête, j’ai d’abord été déçue d’apprendre que Fluke Gawin remplaçait Mike Chinnarat dans le rôle de protagoniste. C’était enfin sa chance de briller en tant que tête d’affiche. J’avais aimé Gawin dans Not Me (auprès de l’exceptionnel First Kanaphan dont la présence vol la vedette) et dans Enchanté, mais à cause de sa tête de jeune premier, j’avais peur que le rôle manque d’intérêt. Mes craintes se sont avérées infondés, car son charisme est si fort qu’il fait de Pisaeng un personnage attachant. Il mérite tellement mieux qu’un grognon comme Kawi en tant que petit ami.

Je suis religieusement Aou Thanaboon sur les réseaux sociaux depuis longtemps, car je l’aime beaucoup et j’attends impatiemment une série AouBoom. C’est d’ailleurs ses nombreuses publicités en faveur de la série qui m’ont donné envie de la commencer avant la fin de la diffusion, ce que je ne fais pas habituellement. Quel n’a pas été ma déception en voyant que son personnage, Max, est aussi mineur. Ça pourrait pourtant être un personnage très intéressant! Il s’est d’abord annoncé en tant qu’ancien meilleur ami de Kawi avec lequel il s’est disputé, mais le problème s’est si vite réglé qu’on oublie qu’ils étaient en froids. Franchement… Tout à son sujet a été mis de côté. Son départ vers un autre pays, la dispute, etc. Il devient seulement le gars homosexuel qui aide le couple principal. Fin. J’ai encore espoir pour la suite, car il a tant de potentiel.

Les autres personnages sont passables. J’aime bien Knot (Title Kirati), l’ami connard des principaux. L’acteur l’interprète à merveille et son histoire avec Kwan est intéressante. Ce garçon est une mauvaise influence qui n’est ni trop gentil, ni trop un gros con. Même si ses agissements sont répréhensibles, une part de moi ne peut s’empêcher de l’apprécier. Cependant, à côté de lui, je trouve Pearmai ennuyante. Elle est gentille, certes, mais ensuite? Il lui manque un petit quelque chose.

C’est triste à admettre, mais je trouvais le couple PisaengKawi plus mignon avant leur mise en couple officiel. Ils ont des interactions adorables, mais quelque chose me fait grincer des dents… peut-être est-ce le malaise que semble ressentir Krist chaque fois qu’il embrasse Gawin? Gawin parait plus à l’aise de jouer un rôle BL que son partenaire, à moins que le personnage de Kawi soit écrit de manière à ce qu’il semble amèrement regretter sa décision. Aucun amour n’est lisible dans ses yeux, contrairement à Pisaeng qui pourrait le dévorer et l’ensevelir sous un amas affectif. Je n’apprécie pas les couples pour qui une simple accolade est la fin du monde. Il n’y a aucune différence entre amis et amoureux. Ou presque. De plus, chaque fois que Kawi dit qu’il l’aime, on ne ressent pas grande sincérité. Ça va peut-être s’améliorer.

Bref, Be My Favorite est une bonne série qui mérite d’être visionné pour le divertissement, mais je doute qu’elle devienne un chef-d’œuvre incontournable parmi les BL. Tout est trop simple, sans évènement marquant ou personnages renversants. Cependant, c’est toujours agréable de voir les diverses réalités alternatives que crées les modifications de Kawi.

!!! DANGER SPOIL !!!
C’est dommage que Kawi ait dus voir un avenir ou sa relation avec Pear ne fonctionne pas pour qu’il accepte enfin d’offrir une chance à Pisaeng. Le fait qu’il soit un second choix de dernier recours viens enlever un peu de magie. Ils ont beau dire qu’ils étaient faits pour finir ensemble, mais j’ai quelques doutes.

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A big fat lie!

The series begins with a big fat lie in just under 2 minutes of its first episode!

YES!

The protagonist claims that he doesn't have good grades, his financial situation is even worse, and he has no friends. And do you notice it? Where is the lie here?
Kiwi (Perawat Sangpotirat) looks good. And we can argue if everyone thinks he's good looking. But I do mean that you guys find him far above average handsome, right?
A little hair out of his forehead and he looks really good. Kiwi plays a loner, at least in the first two episodes. One who prefers to go down to the basement to laugh than to move to the dance floor dancing. You have to make him a little nerdy at the beginning. That's the principle of "Yo soy Betty, la fea (Original) - Ugly Betty"
But let's wait and see.

Good-looking people don't have to exert a lot of effort to get to know other people. It sort of falls into their laps.
So I think Kiwi is wrong in this assertion. OK.. i was a bit overdrama, to call it a "fat lie" ;) But i can say, he is lying to himself.
Besides the stereotype that good-looking people have it easier, Kiwi claims that rich people feel less alone (than he does). This is quietly contradicted by Pisaeng (Gawin Caskey). I'm curious to see if the screenwriters flesh this out a bit more.

The theme
If you're under 25, you won't have that feeling as clearly as those over 25. Everyone at some point asks themselves the question, if I had reacted differently at a certain point, what would my life have been like?
So it's likely to be a series that will also appeal to older viewers. It's a smart move.

The music
Often (too often), catchy pop tunes are woven into a series ad nauseum. People forget that good film music underscores the story and the plot. The feelings of an actor are excellently carried by good music.
The music of "Be My Favorite" is outstanding for a series. There is a real full-blooded musician at work here, who was able to fit well into the story. Perawat Sangpotirat is credited as the composer. Kudos if the lead also writes the score.
In any case, it's worth indulging in the music as well.

Conclusion...
At the moment it looks like a very exciting story.
I feel entertained and invited by the story to keep watching.


23.06.23
Edit Episode 4:
I love Perawat Sangpotirat more and more as an actor.
Unbelievable how well he plays and makes even mundane moments seem real and believable.
He plays a nerd, so he's the nerd, and when the nerd dances, all you want to do is run. And that from such a good musician. Well. So a real accomplishment to dance so unrhythmically....
Who wants to be with such a nerd? And what's new in his world? Unfortunately, the episodes are short and fly by each other.
Of course, one would like to intervene and say, do this or that. But that's exactly what makes a good series: that you'd prefer to take the protagonist and tell him how to behave. He played so convincingly that you take the role from him.
Also convincingly played Sarunchana Apisamaimongkol. A beautiful woman and so gifted in acting. I am sure we will see more of her.
Although Gawin Caskey has a very short role in this episode, I found him convincing. Dear camera, dear director. Give him more time. I find the camera work too fast here, this character needs more moments.
Justina Suvanvihok, your moment was when you sang. That was beautiful. I can see that you feel very comfortable in that moment and in that role. Your role comes a little bit too short.
Kirati Puangmalee's is way too long for that. Very good actor who plays the ass of the series. He is really the worst. Boring, nerdy and dumb. So congratulations for playing your role so wonderfully. Don't be sad, villains are unpopular characters in series. But we need them, because otherwise you don't notice the very beautiful so clearly. But in this episode, I find his role a bit too much.
For Thanaboon Kiatniran, it's time for him to come out of the Support Roles niche. Hey Talent Scouts. You missed someone excellent here. He will shine in a leading role.


Do you agree with me? Or do you think my points are lame? Then make me a friend and write to me. Or drop a comment, I'll be sure to reply. Have fun and all the best!

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Pleasant surprise

I've watched a lot of Thai bls, especially the university-set ones, and they can easily blend into each other, and it's hard to do time travel well. I'm really liking this series, though. The casting is great! (Who else loves Max?) I love Fluke's character, Pisaeng; it's great to see some vulnerability, unsurety in him. Pear's deeper than many FLs, and I love her best friend. Well written so far, well acted. It's hard to wait in between episodes! It's 12 episodes, so I'm wondering where they'll take the story, but I'm hoping it continues to move forward, yet keep developing these characters and their relationships.

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Very confused

Hate me if u will but so far i really dont like that girl pear ,she liked pisang ok cool hes hot but he had no feelings for u so u decided to have a go with kiwi ?hmmmmm that was fast but then u have da audacity to be pissed no matter what u said ,girl ur lying because u found out pisang and kiwi are together so now u decided to move onto the runt of the group not ,lol are u kidding me have u no shame apart from the fact hes a plick and it would only seem can get a girl who actually liked u last but he turned down a pretty girl with actually feelings to be by the side of a girl that is probably gonna date u coz she couldn't get any of the guys she actually want pmsl what a joke total stupidness ?so hope it all works out ,but still a very amusing passtime ?even if pears got no shame nots a dick and pears friend has no sense.

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Interesting Time Traveling but just an OK watch

Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75

Time-traveling is usually not my thing but I read good reviews and thought I would try it out. Overall, it's an OK drama and I might not love it as much as others. A few quick thoughts:

1. I do like the time-traveling as it's an interesting take on how to go back-and-forth. I would probably be like Kwai and wanted to check a couple times to see if I am getting the desired outcome.
2. I like Krist's acting and his role is so different than when I last saw him in "Good Old Days". His acting is so good that I find Kawi quite an annoying character. LOL
3. I do not enjoy Fluke's acting. He did not impress me in "Not Me" and also not in "Be My Favorite". I don't find him particularly attractive so not being able to act matters more.
4. As mentioned, I find Kawi annoying. It's hard for me to root for him as he's quite selfish and wants it all. The girl, the boy, and everything to go his way.
5. Pisaeng is a very sweet character, despite Fluke's bland acting. I think Pisaeng is too good for Kawi.
6. For once we have students NOT in Engineering!
7. Product placement is actually on the light side. That's a pleasant surprise.
8. Too much cakey makeup on the guys - young and old.
9. I was more interested in the beginning and end of the drama. The middle dragged and I didn't care for Pearmai's mommy issues. At least we don't have an evil 2FL. I like the ending when Pisaeng get's to 'do' that as well. But then those last 1.5 episodes are soooo slow. Not much really happened.
10. I wanted to see more of Kawi and Pisaeng after they got together and not just a montage. I want more time when they are a couple.

Overall, it's an easy watch. If you like the leads and time travel, I'll recommend this. Otherwise, it's an OK watch.


Completed: 8/15/2023 - Review #340

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Quite dissapointing

The show starts off on a promising note, albeit with some familiar BL tropes that feel a bit overused. The main issue, however, lies with Kawi's character. As the lead, he is supposed to evoke our empathy, but the storytelling and acting fall short in this regard. While it's easy to understand Kawi's perspective, his supposed attraction and love for Piseang come across as forced. It feels more like Kawi is settling for Piseang after repeatedly failing to win over Pear, rather than genuinely falling in love with him.

This weakens the emotional core of the story, making Kawi's love for Piseang seem almost invisible. The show would have been much more innovative and inspiring if it had focused on Piseang and Max as the central, openly gay leads, instead of centering on an immature Kawi who only seems to grow up in the final episode.

Gawin delivers a strong performance, bringing depth to his role, but Krist's tendency to overact prevents us from fully connecting with Kawi. Overall, the show had potential but falters due to its uneven characterization and missed opportunities.

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Loved every seconde

There is nothing negative to say about this. The storyline, acting, chemistry,... Everything was just so sweet, romantic,...

I saw other Drama's starting these actors, but I must say they both were at their best in this one. Krist was playfully cute Even Fluke was at his best, I must honestly say I didn't like him in Dark blue Kiss.

I also love how it's not the usual "misunderstanding that could easily fixed with a simple talk" kind of drama. It was sweet, romantic, cool story line and at the end also some heartbreaking tension. It's a journey to find your soul mate and how sometimes it turns out to be not the one you expected it to be.

Also when they found out they were actually falling in love with a guy, their realisation that they are gay, each at their own pace, is beautifully pictured. Nothing was over dramatic nor childish.

Even the kissing scenes were just so honey sweet.

I can't repeat enough: I loved every seconde of this BL.

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a must watch for romance lovers! def one of the best bls out there!

Intro:

I am someone who doesn't particularly enjoy romance, especially romcoms. I enjoy genres like: action, thriller crime, etc. However, I can recognise a good drama regardless of the genre. This is one of those rare gems which you'll love even if you don't necessarily love romcoms in general.



Acting & Cast - 10/10

My first Thai BL was SOTUS so, Krist is an actor I hold in my heart memorably. However, his controversies surrounding his homophobia made me dislike him over time. As a queer person myself, I couldn't comprehend how people, especially those who profit off the queer community, can be queerphobic. I am not someone that believes queer character should be only played by queer people. A character is just a character after all. But the least you can do when you play a queer role is to be an ally. However, even though late, I've learnt that Krist has grown a lot over time. He has always been vocal towards his support towards the queer community. People, including myself, were quick to judge with only edited and limited resources at hand. He has said somewhat "rocky" things but has always learnt and grown from those mistakes. Krist is truly one of the few BL actors that loudly supports the LGBTQIA+ community online and offline.

Now on to the actual series, I never expected to see Krist and Gawin as a couple but it was an extremely pleasant surprise. Krist is an actor, who plays all the roles he is given amazingly well. He never disappoints when it comes to acting. Gawin is another great actor. I'm so happy to finally see him having a lead role. This was truly the perfect first main role for him, imo. GawinKrist's chemistry was insanely good. They fit so well together. I really hope to see more of them again, one day. I hope to see Krist in more BL roles (which is something he has wanted as well but couldn't due to his pairing with singto).

The cast was a perfect fit for all of their respective roles. Everyone was great at truly embodying and projecting their characters. This one of the best series in terms of casting and chemistry between actors.



Story - 10/10

The story was amazing. The story was very progressive, complex, and heartwarming. The portrayal of one coming to term with their sexuality was beautiful. I felt that they did a great job in showing the complexities of it. There was one thing that disappointed me. The only thing that disappointed me. There was a certain scene where there was an opportunity to talk about asexuality but wasn't. Asexuality is practically invisible in most dramas. It would have been nice to finally see some representation for those on the asexual and aromantic spectrums.

It was refreshing to see family dynamics that were complicated. Families that weren't just bad or good. The children had problems with their parents, faced disappointment but also showed the love between them. It felt very realistic and relatable to the majority in most parts. Every character's family situation was unique and different but also very similar. Most of the families in the drama were supportive which was so nice to see in BLs.

The characters all had depth and development. The best part of the drama was Kawee's character development. The side characters had their own stories which were filled with complex emotions and depth. I loved how the side characters' stories had satisfying conclusions too and weren't abandoned. Every character has their own unique struggle.

The fantasy/ supernatural aspect of the drama was very good. It all felt like a big heartwarming lesson on life. The time travel was perfectly woven into the story. It never felt unnecessary and it further showed each character's growth and made the ending even more satisfying. The drama showed how even the smallest decisions can have a domino effect and change the future. The best part was how after every travel, the characters grew some more. It was imperfect in a perfect way.

The romance was perfect. Kawee's and Pisaeng's growth together was great. I loved how healthy their relationship was. We truly need more representations of healthy relationships in dramas especially BLs. Almost all of the characters ended up being green flags by the end of the series. The romance and character development was paced so smoothly. It never felt sudden or delayed. The overall pacing of the whole drama was really amazing. It kept me wanting more and more, to the point that I am miserable now that the series ended.



Music & Sound - 9.5/10

The OSTs were actually so good. Krist and Gawin are really good singers. The singing parts didn't feel cringe or out of place, which is unfortunately something that often happens in BLs. I felt that the songs really portrayed the emotions and stories of the characters really well. This is one of the rare series I've watched where I actually remember the OSTs.



Rewatch Value - 9/10

The series was very memorable but I'd rewatch it just to be happy all over again. The fluffy feeling that I got from the drama will not fade easily. The drama had me all giggly and flushed, that wholesomeness is something I want again.



Overall - 9.5/10

I loved it! I definitely recommend all BL and romcom fans to watch it. Don't hesitate just give it a try and you'll even get some relatable advice from Max. This series is truly one of GMMTV's best creations. I need more like this!



Thanks for reading this far <3!

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Time solved everything

I started to watch this drama because of Krist, but in the end, I fell for Gawin. In 2023, GMMTV had many BL dramas, and I watched everything. And this is one of the best dramas on GMMTV. At the very beginning of the trailer, I was excited because it's a fresh plot and a new pairing. But the production changed Mike to Gawin, and I was disappointed. The other thing was that, though it's a new pairing, I was loyal to Singto and Kris, though there is no future for this pairing.But after watching the first episode, I was ecstatic because it was not the same copy-and-paste plot and time travel, which is brand new. And the new pairing was awesome. They had the chemistry, good acting, and body language that made me sit through illogical plots and make the drama even more addicting. As a couple, they brought out their understanding of each other so well. I could describe their relationship as comic, inevitable, fiery, jeoulous, and mature. All their scenes together highlighted their amazing chemistry. They complimented each other perfectly, whether they were in love or fighting with each other.The character Kawi, on the other hand, was annoying. I was wondering why he cannot see or feel the feelings of Pisaeng, and the obvious answer is that writers want the Kawi to grow throughout the drama. Typically, this means moving from a worse person to a better person. Meanwhile, Pisaeng delivered an emotional roller coaster, which made me fall head over heels for Gawin. But in the end, he gave up and left Kawi.Though I never believed "time will solve everything," it did. This story path is not a flower road. There are many obstacles that test their love and affection, and it was heartbreaking to see fate testing their love for each other. "As time goes on, you'll understand. What lasts, lasts; what doesn't, doesn't. Time solves most things, and what most time can't solve, you have  to."Time solved everything.The writer used each and every character to develop main characters, and each minor character had an ending without vanishing into the air after building a happy ending for Pisaeng and Kawi.Actually, I'm so glad that this drama is not only focused on romance. Recently, I learned many life lessons from this drama. Mainly, it addresses common insecurities, overthinking, and different aspects regarding the LGBTQ community. Not only was it a drama, but it also taught me many life lessons.

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